Uintah County Emergency Management has a message you may not want to hear but it is the message you need to hear. There will be spring flooding thanks to the extreme amounts of snow piled up and that means now is the time to prepare your home and business for the likelihood of flooding. So what should you do to prepare? First, purchase and even fill sandbags ahead of time to use in the event you need to protect your home from flood waters. Second, have a professional install check-valves in plumbing to prevent flood waters from backing up into the drains of your home. Make sure your sump pump is working and consider having a backup. Make sure your electric circuit breakers, or fuses, are clearly marked for each area of your home. Third, contact your insurance company or agent to explore purchasing flood insurance. This must be done before there is even a threat of flooding so make that call right away. Finally, clear the snow from around your foundation; a recommended distance of at least 6 to 12 inches. It doesn’t take much precipitation and snow to create about two inches of surface water.
